E14 S1| Wrapping Season 1 and Exciting Things to Come on Sick and Seeking and Beyond!

Hello Sick and Seeking Listeners!

I know it’s been a few weeks. I’ve been pondering how to close out my first season, and if you don’t know this about me, I tend to overcomplicate things—hence the delay! I wanted to create a big storytelling moment to share my chronic illness journey and what it’s like living in my body. But honestly, that felt a bit overwhelming. Behind the scenes, I’ve been working on completing a couple of certifications (more on that later!) so I can bring women together in connection and movement. I’ve decided to keep this episode simple and start with a reflection on Season 1 before discussing what’s coming next for me and the Sick and Seeking Podcast.

One of my mentors, Sheri Rosenthal, often says that heart-centered entrepreneurs have a hard time asking their communities for support, and I can totally relate to that.

As I wrap up Season 1, I have a few requests:

1. Head over to my website and sign up for my newsletter to be notified when I release new podcast episodes or open Wild Women’s Way Circles, Unstructured Movement Classes, and Transformational Wellness Retreats.

2. Rate and review the Sick and Seeking Podcast on whatever platform you listen to. This greatly helps my podcast reach more listeners.

3. Follow and engage with the Sick and Seeking social media accounts

➡️ Instagram: Sick and Seeking Instagram
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4. Share my podcast with friends or anyone in your network who might enjoy listening.

5. Join the Sick and Seeking Community group on Facebook to stay informed about my activities related to the podcast, unstructured movement, and transformational retreats.

Podcasting can feel like a lonely pursuit, so please reach out via social media or email me at leslie@sickandseeking.com. I’d love to know why you listen, what topics you’d like to hear more about, or recommendations for inspiring people I should check out in the healing space.

Until September—goodbye, and thank you for listening!

xoxo,
Leslie

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Transcript

Hello Sick and Seeing Listeners!

I know it’s been awhile…I’ve been humming and hawing over how to close out my first season, and if you don’t know this about me, let me tell you that I’m the queen of over complicating things, hence the delay! 

I wanted to do this big, storytelling moment where I told you my chronic illness story and what it’s like living in my body. But honestly, it all felt a bit too much. 

Behind the scenes I’ve been working on completing a couple of certifications (more on that later) so that I can gather women in connection and movement, plus, I have upped my physical activity (which for the first two weeks was quite an uncomfortable adjustment!) anyway!  I’m saving my person story for Season 2 of Sick and Seeking, which will come back in late September

I’ve decided to keep this episode simple and first do a bit of a reflection on season 1 before I chat about what’s coming next for me and the Sick and Seeking Podcast.

Honestly, I had no idea what this podcast was going to be and I’m still figuring it out as I go. All I know is that I felt called to be in conversation with others on the topic of sickness and healing, and that’s been my Northstar. I see this endeavor not only as a gift to others in the world who may find the conversations and information supportive, but an important gift to myself as I know it’s part of my own personal healing journey.

What’s been super awesome and inspiring is that at the time of this recording, I’m almost at 1,100 downloads! Thank you so much for listening…whoever you all are! I do take this number with a grain of salt since I too have to listen to each episode. And fun fact: when I listen to the episode post editing, it’s seriously like listening to a whole new conversation (weird but true). I suspect I can account for at least 30 of my downloads. Nonetheless, I’m humbled and honored that you are here. Thank you so much for listening and for your support. 

So, let’s first do a brief look back at Season One before I chat about some cool things I have in the works that I’d love you to be a part of.

Ep. 1 | Jessica Gillespie on Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis and How Therapy Can Support People Who Want to Find Their Way Back to Connection

Some of the great topics that were explored in this conversation were

• The need for tough moments on your medical journey to be addressed, witnessed, or soothed and how a therapist can be supportive in these moments.
• The struggle with not being present with your body, the intolerance with being in your body, and the risks of this disconnection
• Validating and recognizing the state of how our body is feeling versus rejecting and pushing this reality away. 
• How resting and relaxing can feel like a rebellion against what greater society says is acceptable. 
• The power of connection.

What I loved about this conversation:

• Bestie! What a way to kickoff my podcast. Wasn’t suppose to be her, but there’s a greater plan at play sometimes.
• This was my trying-to-figure-this-podcasting-thing out, so I suspect it feels and sounds different that other episodes. 
• It was fun to reminisce and recall things I had forgotten, like that we were both diagnosed our conditions around the same time.
• Therapy felt like the biggest takeaway from having this conversation and having a support network around you for the dark moments managing a medical diagnosis.
• Unique since it’s having a convo with you best friend. I’m considering asking Jessica to interview me for season 2, so watch this space! 

Ep. 2 | Ceryn Roundtree and Her Holistic Approach to Supporting People on Their Healing Journey

Some of the great topics that were explored in this conversation were

• Ceryn’s health scare with Toxic Shock Syndrome that led to her “human awakening” and brought her to a path of thinking more deeply about her menstrual cycle and internal body rhythms.
• Connecting with the unseen parts of ourselves and coming back to our bodies
• Opening up to our soul's power and all of the wisdom and the beauty it holds. 
• How moving aside what may be stuck in our heads may be helpful for us to continue on a journey towards healing.
• How rituals can make tangible and allow us to act out something that we hope to bring into being.

What I loved about this conversation:

• Love this human!
• Huge heart, intuitive, and gifted with a 6th sense and ‘knowing’ 
• I love how Ceryn is connected to the beauty of this world and the beyond world, and she is able to use both her human and what feels like super-human gifts and talents to support people through her therapeutic and mystical work
• She is all around a magical women and I particularly loved the part about the power of our words and creating a ritual to let go of something. 

Ep. 3 | Reema Doshi’s Story of Living with Inflammatory Breast Cancer and How Women Can Empower Themselves in Medical Settings to Advocate and Get What They Want and Need

Some of the great topics that were explored in this conversation were

• The importance of noting anything abnormal or strange happening in your body and taking the time to look into it.
• How women can empower themselves in medical settings and become an advocate to get what they want and need.
• Small breadcrumbs of knowledge or random people that you come across in your medical journey, and in hindsight how impactful these moments or people are to your story.
• The realization that you are not broken nor is anything wrong with you for needing rest when going through cancer treatment.
• How you can support someone or what to say to someone who is going through treatment, and how this can be different for everyone.
• The most powerful tool in breast cancer treatment and survival is early diagnosis. 

What I loved about this conversation:

• Love this human! Yes, I did invite people on my podcast who I know well because, it’s scary podcasting and getting the hang of things! 
• I always learn a lot from Reema when she speaks about her cancer diagnosis and treatment
• Reema’s story is a great reminder that we all must advocate for ourselves, hard, and be the annoying, inquisitive and direct patient. 

Ep. 4 | The Body Holds Many Messages For Us – Lizzie Redman on Living with Chronic Pain 

Some of the great topics that were explored in this conversation were

• How we are all going to undergo change in our bodies, and it can be deeply challenging but also bring gifts.
• The connection between our brain and what shows up in our bodies, especially in relation to pain.
• The time and emotional labor to manage an illness.
• The potential pitfall of putting excess pressure on yourself and showing up with an intensity connected to your medical condition and desired outcome, and how curiosity can serve as a gentler approach. 
• The expectation many people hold that our body needs to function perfectly and is our tool to use. 
• The healing process is deeply personal, and your relationship with yourself and your body on this journey is up to you. 
• How our bodies hold many messages for us, and there are tools and practices that can help tap into them. 
• How an invisible illness can feel isolating. 

What I loved about this conversation:

• Lizzie shows up with a wisdom and a knowing; she is also a calming and present presence. 
• I appreciate the deep work she has done for herself and the knowledge the has attained as it is now serving a larger audience of people who can not only learn from her and the journey she has been on, but be inspired by her story. 

Ep. 5 | Julia LeFrancois on Ableism, Crip Kinship, Body Neutrality, Disability Justice and Living With Fibromyalgia and Rheumatoid Arthritis 

Some of the great topics that were explored in this conversation were

• How fibromyalgia is hard to diagnose and is often invalidated by the medical community.
• Finding our own way with both conventional and holistic therapies and trying different things to support oneself on their journey with their body 
• How the feelings of self-loathing, shame, and anger can surface when attempting  to be intuitive about one’s body and health. 
• The idea of body neutrality vs body positivity. 
• Disability awareness vs disability justice 
• The crip community and their refusal to conform to society's unrealistic standards.
• Showing up in one's body as it needs to be, rather than conforming to societal expectations.
• The concept of ableism and how our world is set up for people who don’t have medical conditions.
• How being in conversation about what you’re doing through in your body and life can be healing and cathartic 

What I loved about this conversation:

• This women is change-maker who strives for social and disability justice through her research and activism.
• I learned a LOT from Julia in this conversation, particularly about body neutrality which was a concept that I hadn’t heard of but it makes SO much sense. 
• If these terms and concepts are foreign to you, take a listen to this episode. That’s it’s there for.
• Plus, she’s pretty much my sister. I love dearly and think she’s pretty special. Just saying 

Ep. 6 | Sally Wolf on Dancing Through Cancer and Using Positive Psychology to Thrive Amidst Life’s Challenges

Some of the great topics that were explored in this conversation were:

• How dance has been a significant part of Sally's healing journey
• Identifying tools that enable us to flourish in life, and how building that foundation of self-awareness can support us in challenging moments
• Exploring a changing body during cancer treatment
• Listening to and acting on intuition when something is off in one’s body, even if specialists and doctors aren’t concerned
• Choosing to seek - and see - the ‘light’ in life, even when living with Stage IV cancer
• Supporting others as well as one’s own healing through story sharing, but only once a certain level of processing is complete 
• Recognizing post-traumatic growth (PTG) and its connection to resilience

What I loved about this conversation:

• I love that we have bonded over a shared deep appreciation for the healing power of movement.
• Sally is an inspiration in how she finds deep meaning in life’s difficult moments
• She’s a fantastic storytelling and speaker. So much so that I’m hanging on the every word that is unfolding in her story. 
• It was Sally who pointed out that only once people have done a certain amount of processing and reflection are they able to share what they are going through. 
• And through it all, and everything she has gone through, she still finds joy in life and radiates to the people around her.

Ep. 7 | Naturopath Debra Lee Educates Us on the Toxins in Our Daily Lives: What Are They and Why We Want to Avoid Them 

Some of the great topics that were explored in this conversation were:

• Why people seek out the support of a naturopath like Debra
• One of the causes for chronic illness relapse in our bodies is due to the environmental toxins lurking in the over 500 chemicals we are exposed to daily
• Commercial scents and air fresheners are not regulated and there can be unlisted ingredients in these products 
• The different organs in our bodies and what they do to help the body rid of toxic substances
• Environmental chemicals and toxins and how they may negatively affect you body 
• Awareness and avoidance of formaldehyde, aluminum, sodium fluoride, parabens, sulfates, nitrites, nitrates, MSG and aspartame in products or foods that go on, in, or near your body

What I loved about this conversation:

• Debra is a teacher at heart andthrives on educating and coaching people to make better choices for themselves. 
• She delivers information in a non-judegmental, take it or leave it way. 
• She has a wealth of information about the body and natural alternatives to products that we use daily
• This is the second most listened to episode so we shall have to have Debra back to share more!

Ep. 8 | The Story of Cecil, the Grapefruit-Sized Dermoid Cyst, Inside of Abby 

Some of the great topics that were explored in this conversation were:

• Dermoid cysts: what they are and why they can be pretty weird
• Identifying an ovarian torsion, and the risks to your organs if this happens
• Using humor to get through tough moments 
• Discussing how medical insurance is confusing, and how to maximize the use of this benefit 
• Depression and anxiety, and how these and other mental health struggles can make it difficult to function
• Small simple goals to have in mind and that will keep you motivated after a tough body moment 

What I loved about this conversation:

• Dr. Abby, as we call her, has a curiosity about her body and it’s functions, and will seek out information connected to her diagnosis 
• How no matter what happens, and things do continue to happen (we were just texting the other day about the new, unexpected ailments she now has), that we have a connection and friendship to support one another during tough health moments
• The humor! How could I not adore a person who, given the circumstances, was able to find humor in a quite terrifying situation 

Ep. 9 | Chronic Illness Coach and Advocate Alyssa Truelove Shares Her Story of Living with Endometriosis and Fibromyalgia

Some of the great topics that were explored in this conversation were:

• Alyssa’s diagnosis story and the shocking news she received at 19 years old that she has endometriosis.
• The importance of understanding that what you are feeling in your body is valid, even if your illness is invisible and others can’t see it.
• How one in ten people with a uterus will be diagnosed with endometrosis 
• How doctor’s appointments can lead to stress and anxiety pre and post appointment, and tips on how best prepare for these appoinentns 
• The dark and tough moments Alyssa has to move through and how she manages these moments with ‘flare’ box

What I loved about this conversation:

• That Alyssa is an open book about her life and what it’s like living with and managing her health conditions 
• She is a firece adovcate for helping others, and this comes across in this episode and the work she is doing in her Chronically Ill Society
• I’m so grateful there are beautiful people like Alyssa putting her story out in to the world so that she can be a support for other ‘spoonies’ and if you don’t know what a spoonie is, then listen to the episode 

Ep. 10 | How Faith and Prayer Can Get You Through The Darkest Moments - Nicole Moyer Shares Her Story of Living with Cystic Fibrosis, Type 1 Diabetes, Hashimotos Disease, Cervical Cancer, Chronic Kidney Stones and Cervical Cancer

Some of the topics that were explored in this conversation were:

• The question of: how much do we honor what our body is telling us and stay in bed, versus override the messages and force ourselves to get on with our day
• Invisible illness and how people would never know about Nikki’s health conditions
• What is cystic fibrosis and how it impacts the body
• The miracle drug Tricalfta, released in 2019, which significantly helped improve Nikki’s lung function
• The life expectancy of people diagnosed with cystic fibrosis
• Fear and trauma connected to the hospitals 
• How prayer and Jesus can be a powerful and supportive force in our darkest moments

What I loved about this conversation:

• That no matter what Niiki has been through or is currency maaging, she perseveres with a you-can’t-stop-me attitude.
• She is holds an inner light the will not be extinguished, and she shines brightly to those around her.
• She shares how her deep faith has helped her move through some of the toughest times, and she reminds that the power of faith and prayer can work miracles,

Ep. 11 | Shamanic Practitioner Amy Dempster Shares the Healing Power of Nature

Some of the topics that were explored in this conversation were:

• How nature communicates with us telepathically, and we all have the ability to communicate and receive information beyond the 5 senses 
• Frequency and vibration - what it is and how it can impact you
• Why we enjoy being outside in nature 
• Building trust with your intuition and inner knowing 
• We all have ancestors that were intimately connected to the land, but many of us have forgotten or lost this connection through generations and the passing of time
• We are all a part of nature 
• Humans, psychoactive plants, and fungi have worked together for thousands of years 

What I loved about this conversation:

• That I could introduce someone to my listeners who helped me get through a very tough time in my life. Amy was the person who helped me see that nature and the land has always been calling to me and all of us.
• I love that she can take break down complicated scientific concepts and make them accessible to everyone
• I love that she’s a champion for our intuition and for the natural world. Both of which I wish people would tap into more often. 

Ep. 12 | The Body Is a Realm of Wild Discovery - Erin Pace Shares How Unstructured Movement Can Re-establish Trust In the Body (Pt. 1) 

Some of the topics that were explored in this conversation were:

• How entering the body is a realm of wild discovery 
• Taking the time to become present with sensation and emotion leads to an experience of aliveness 
• Living with chronic illness can lead to body distrust and disconnection  
• A simple conscious breath can serve the body 
• Exploring the re-attunement to the feminine essence as much as the masculine in one’s body
• Becoming the observer versus the judge 
• Visiting with your body through organic moment and sitting with curiosity on what is present 

Ep. 13 | Honoring Emotion as the Sacred Informer - Erin Pace Shares How Unstructured Movement Can Help Escort Emotion Out Of Our Bodies (Pt. 2) 

Some of the topics that were explored in this conversation were:

• Honoring the depth of emotion women hold in their bodies, and embracing the experience of emotion in the body 
• Feeling emotions requires a commitment to connection to yourself and embracing what is happening within you
• Emotion is held in the body until we escort it away 
• How we desensitize as a way of survival and how our sensitivity in our bodies is a genius 
• Being with the intelligence of the body and what may show up when you check-in and visit 
• When women awaken to aliveness and wholeness in their bodies, there may be another quest inside of them to connect that to their eroticism 
• 
  

What I loved about this conversation:

• I can’t just pick one or two things!
• these two conversations seriously blew my mind as I had no idea the amount of knowledge and deep understanding Erin has amassed over the years while witnessing women through movement. 
• Embodied, sensual movement is a deep passion of mine as I know first-hand, in my body, mind and soul, how supportive and healing it can be and I’m beyond grateful to have Erin in my life as a teacher, mentor and friend.
• She is such a source of inspiration for me. I can only hope to have the honor of becoming one of her students in a teaching training setting so I can share her wisdom and support women in reconnecting them back to their bodies. 

Phew! Are you still with me? It’s been quite a season and I thank you again for listening and encourage you to go back and check out any episodes you missed. 

Before I talk about what’s to come, I did spend some time writing down my top 12 lessons learned on living with and chronic illness for over 2 decades. I wanted to share few of them with yout now as I think they may be a source of support and inspiration:

1. I Am My Body’s Expert

In both my personal experience and the many conversations I’ve had on the Sick and Seeking Podcast, I’m reminded time and again of a key point: I know my body better than anyone else. This includes the many doctors or specialists I may be under the care of, my partner, my family member or anyone else for that matter. It’s important I both validate and act on my gut feelings and intuition when it comes to my body and medical decisions. Period.

1. Be My Own Advocate

No one is going to fight for my body and my needs better than I am. I am the annoying and demanding patient who questions my doctor’s logic, particular method of treatment, or asks for clarification on my diagnosis. I prepare for a doctor’s appointment like it’s a professional meeting: I bring my medical notebook, review my notes from my last appointment, and I prepare to take new notes. I think through how I’ve been feeling, note down medications I need refills on or questions I have about my current treatment. Doctors are human and fallible; they too have bad or off days so it’s important I am current with what’s going on in my body and am ready to speak up and advocate for my needs. Yes, it can feel like a lot of work and often I feel annoyed / angry / resentful / exhausted that I must do this, but this is important! This is MY body and no one else is going to take care of my better than myself.

1. Reflect on What’s In My Control and Out of My Control

Living with a chronic illness has many challenges. The one I personally struggle with the most is the fear of not knowing what lies ahead for my body and how this may impact my life. It’s a large burden to carry everyday, and that’s why it’s important I remind myself of the things I can control and the things I can’t. Things that are in my control include: boundaries, thoughts and actions, how I speak to myself, the goals I set, how I handle challenges, and what I give my energy to. I am in control of choosing daily actions that support me physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I have a bring-it-back-to-the-basics list that I use as my NorthStar to find my way back to what’s important when times get tough.

This is my list, and you should create your own simple list too for when you hit a tough moment and need to reset. My list: restful sleep, more water and veggies, slow it all down, do less, take time for things that give me pleasure and joy, connect with my spiritual side, sit with my thoughts, get off all screens and out into nature, meetup with friends or family, and move my body.

I’d love for you to checkout the next 8 lessons, and you can download those by heading to sickandseeking.com and signing up for my newsletter.

And lastly - what’s to come! 

First, Season two of the sick and seeking podcast will launch in September!

And Second, I’ve been working on completing two certifications created by an incredible woman named Michaela Bohm. The first one is called the Wild Women’s Way and the second is called The Non-Linear Movement Method. Once I am certified in both of these modalities, I will be offering online and eventually in-person women’s circles and unstructured, organic movement classes. Eventually, I will be inviting women who join me in circle and in movement classs to tranforamtional wellness retreats near and far. I’m passionate about helping women slow down, enliven their senses, and connect back to the messages of their bodies and I know that both of these offerings wll support women in doing just that. 

Now, one of my mentor’s Sheri Rosenthal often says that heart-based entrepreneurs have a hard time asking their community for things, and I totally identify with this! 

So as I close Season 1, I do have a few asks:

1. Head to my website and Sign-up to my newsletter to be alerted when I release a new podcast episode or open Wild Women’s Way Circles, Unstructured Movement Classes, and Transformational Wellness Retreats 

1. Rate and review the Sick and Seeking Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts. This is a huge help and helps my podcast get discovered by more listeners. 

1. Follow and like Sick and Seeking Social Media Accounts

➡️ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sickandseeking/

➡️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sickandseeking/

➡️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@sickandseeking

➡️ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sick-and-seeking/

1. Share my podcast with friends or people in your network who may enjoy listening. 
2. 
   
3. And if you can bare to join one more FB group, join the Sick and Seeking Community group on FB so that I can keep you informed on things I’m doing connected to the podcast, movement or retreats

Podcasting can feel like a lonely pursuit, so please do reach out via social channels or email me at Leslie@sickandseeking.com as I’d love to know why you listen 

Until September - Goodbye and thank you for listening!